This dish is a recreation of the marinaded mushrooms in oil that I've bought from supermarkets and delis. It is not likely to be cheaper than buying them ready-made, but if you use good-quality mushrooms and olive oil it will certainly taste much better. The recipe is from An Invitation to Italian Cooking, by Antonio Carluccio. Unusually for me, I haven't changed this much, apart from rewriting it in my own words. I have clarified what to do with the garlic, since his recipe leaves it ambiguous, and I think it's safer to simmer it in the vinegar rather than putting it in the oil raw (see the rec.food.preserving FAQ for more).
Note: Unless you really understand preserving and know what you are doing, do not treat this as a preserving recipe. It is a marinaded recipe and should be kept in the fridge.
After making this recipe you will be left with a quantity of flavoured vinegar. It works very well in salad dressings or as a marinade for various vegetables. I very much like to add a little sugar, marinade cauliflower florets in it for a day or so (in the fridge), and then eat them as a light pickled side dish or snack. Similarly, after eating the mushrooms you can use their oil in salad dressings or for flavouring other dishes.
Makes two medium jars full. I will measure properly at some point.
1. Prepare the mushrooms; clean them first. Cut into pieces if big.
2. Bring the vinegar, wine and water to simmering point in a non-reactive saucepan. Add the bay leaves, garlic, cloves, salt and mushrooms and simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring a few times.
3. From now on do not touch the mushrooms with your hands (until you come to eat them). Drain mushrooms and lay out on a clean teatowel until cool and dry. Put them stem side down to make sure all liquid drains away. Do the same with the garlic and bay leaves.
4. Sterilise a jar: wash in hot soapy water, rinse with boiling water and dry in a low oven (100C, Gas Mark 1/4, or as low as it will go) for at least 10 minutes.
5. Put some olive oil in the bottom of the jar, then add layers of mushrooms, bay leaves and sliced garlic, pouring olive oil to cover each time you put a layer of mushrooms. Make sure that no air is trapped, and that the final layer of mushrooms is completely covered in oil.
Kake's (Vegan) Cookery Site - http://www.earth.li/~kake/cookery/
This page added 24 March 2004
- comments and questions to
Kake L Pugh (kake@earth.li).